For today's devotion and the next three posts, I would like to offer four practical ways in which intimacy with God can be fostered.  The first thing that is required to develop a deeper intimacy with the Lord is Godly fear.  Psalm 25:14 declares that friendship with God is reserved for those who fear him.  With these individuals, God reveals the secrets of his covenant. Godly fear is reverence of God, an awe and respect that is due to him and to him alone.  Proverbs 1:7 declares that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”  This knowledge is not general knowledge, or scientific knowledge, or academic knowledge, or historical knowledge.  The knowledge spoken of here is intimate knowledge of God.

As Christians, we must spend time studying the Scriptures and meditating on them in order to focus ourselves properly on the nature, will, character, plans, and requirements of God.  When we begin to understand God better, who he is and what he expects, holy fear is the natural consequence.  God does not want us to fear him in the same way that we fear destruction or we fear pain or we fear bad things.  Our fear of God is within the context of a loving relationship with him.  Godly fear is the same thing as holy reverence and respect.  God does not wish us harm because he loves us.  Godly fear prepares us to receive God's best for us.  May we all come to experience a deeper walk with him.

This series on intimacy with God has four parts. Click on the links before to access the articles.

Part 1: The Fear of the Lord
Part 2: Obedience to the Lord
Part 3: Trusting in the Trustworthy God
Part 4: Spending Time with God

Blessings,
Wilfred Graves Jr.
www.wilfredgraves.org